Pep Guardiola orders struggling Man City squad to 'play through the pain' amid Kevin De Bruyne hope

Kevin De Bruyne is nearing a return for Manchester City, while there could be some positive news on the injury front at Bournemouth on Saturday.

But even in the middle of a self-described injury 'emergency', Pep Guardiola sensationally warned his players they must be prepared to play through the pain if they want to be a part of his City squad and challenge for titles every year. City have six players almost certainly missing, while at least four will face fitness tests on Saturday to see if they can play.

Guardiola declared he only had 13 players to pick from after the defeat at Tottenham this week and confirmed he plans to include some academy players in his squad at Bournemouth. However, he also offered a crumb of optimism on the injury front, suggesting some injured players could be included on the bench at the Vitality Stadium, while De Bruyne has taken a step forward in his own recovery.

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"The players coming back, some of them who were out, today trained good," Guardiola said. "Maybe they can help for a few minutes tomorrow. We have to gamble, take a risk with the players.

"I have players who can maybe play 20 minutes, no more than that. Players who can start but I don't know who. Try to be smart, talk and see. Listen to them. Some say 'Pep I don't know'. Okay - in the end the decision is taken with how the players feel. I'm not in the hamstring or ankle of the players, they have to tell us.

"Kevin is getting better. The last two, three days the doctor said to me that he made a step forward in terms of pain."

But while there is optimism on the horizon, Guardiola made it clear he expects players to put their bodies on the line and play through the pain if they are needed at Bournemouth and next week in the Champions League at Sporting.

"They are used to playing with some pain," said Guardiola. "It can be niggles or it can be danger but apart of that, when it happens… today almost all of the players play with pain. There are moments when injuries are injuries and be careful but sometimes if you have problems you have to play.

"Rafa Nadal played all of his career with pain. He played. And won I don’t know how many Grand Slams. You have to deal with it in modern football or you can’t sustain games every three days at a top club.

"We will adapt tomorrow and in the next games. We have an incredible group of players with a strong mentality in that tough moments. This week is so important before the international break. The away games and in the Champions League.

"There are players who say, “OK, I’m ready” and there are players who have more tendency to get niggles with their history. It’s human nature. There are the others who just go, go go, that it doesn’t matter what happens. It’s not because they are more or less [focused]. It’s that they can adapt to sustain incredible amounts of efforts every day more than the other ones."

Guardiola's defiance follows his insistence that City should not be given sympathy for their injury predicament. He explained how City have not done anything differently in their training methods this season - training less if anything - and pointed to Liverpool's injury issues over the last few years as reason not to complain. He refused to apportion blame, instead challenging his squad to be ready for the moment when they are all back fit and ready to fight for titles again.

And for the same reasons, he insisted that there are no plans to enter the transfer market in January to add bodies to the squad. "Maybe in January we'll have all players fit except Rodri," he countered.

"When we are all together, the squad is enough, complete, it's nice and top. When everybody is completely focussed and fit. But in certain moments of the season. I remember in the past, one, two, three years ago Liverpool had a lot of injuries and they struggle. Is what it is, we have to adapt and focus tomorrow."